Planoahapli co



F. J. BUTTER. PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. i916.

Patented July 1, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPI! C0,. WASHINGTON, D. L.

F. 1. BUTTER. P ERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATKON FILED OCT-12.1916.

1,308,521. Patented July1,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

it 6 #6 l- 38 a l I i 4 I A i n i r )f M d/rim 6 Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOORAPHc0, WASHXNOT' UNITED srnrns ATENT onmon.

FRANCIS JOSEPH BUTTER, or woLvm-tnAMP'roN, ENGLAND, AssIeNon 'ro- GHUBBAND SONS LOCK AND SAFE coMrANY, LIMITED, or LONDON, ENG-LAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1916. Serial No. 125,144.

an external dial has to be brought into register with a fixed indexbefore the bolt or looking mechanism can be liberated or operated.

The object of the present inventlon 1s to simplify the interiormechanism of such locks and consists in an improved mounting for therotatable combination disks bysecuring the same to the external surfaceof rings or bosses, surrounding the operating spindle by the sprin gripformed in the disk ltself whereby t ey are made fast to sald rings byfrictional contact therewith, said; rings or bosses being mounted inplates earned by the lock casing; in providing means whereby thelongitudinal or horizontal movements may be definitely defined for thepurposeof operating the rotatable combinatlon disks consecutively; in somounting or construct ng the spindle and attendant devices as to 1mmmizethe chance of damage to the lock mechanism on the same being improperlymanipulated by an unauthorized person for example; in affording animproved means for altering or re-setting the deslred combination andwhile preserving the value of the great number of combinations capableof being employed for the purpose, due to the detalls of construction toemploy a rotatory motion in one direction only, and by a considerablyless number of revolutions of the handle bring the notches in theseveral disks into line or position for liberating the bolt or lockingmechanism by the employment of a series of combined longitudinal androtatory movements of the spindle attached to the handle, thussimplifying the manipulation of the lock mechanism, and incidentallyaffording. means of correcting error in manipulation without thenecessity of repeating the several operations from the start in order toobtain the combination in such a manner as to be able to manipulate thelock.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, the improvementswill be now bore 7. On the face of described with the aid of theaccompanying sheets of drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a sectionalelevation of a permutation lock constructed in accordance with thisinvention as applied to a safe or strongroomdoor, taken on the center:line of the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of Fig.1, alsotakenonthe center line, Fig. 3 is a sectional plan illustrating aconvenient method of fixing the knob or handle to the operating spindleand devices to secure with precision the intermediate longitudinalPatented Jul 1, 1919. y

movement of the same; and Fig. 4: is atransverse section of "the samemechanism taken on line X'X of Figs. 1 and 3 viewed as indicated by thearrows; Figs. 5 and 6. are sectional elevations, also viewed from rightto left, taken on-lines YY and Z-Z respectively of Figs. 1 and2. Fig. 7illus trates in elevation a spring-catch or' device for retainingthebolt in its shot position. Fig. 8 illustrates in elevation and Fig. 9 inplan a change-key employed for resetting the combination. a

Similar figures of reference relate to like parts in all the figures ofthe drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6, the ermutation lock illustrated is fixedto a safe door 1 on the metal block 2 that is secured to the back orinside of the door 1 by screws 3 or otherwise as may be convenient, thecase 1 being provided with a suitable flange or lugs 5, screws 6retaining same in position. 1 1

The block2 is bored out at 7 to a suitable depth so as to provide forthe full longitudinal travel necessary for the manipulation of themechanism, and the spindle 8 is provided with a collar 9 which limitsthelongitudinal movement thereof by coming in contact with thejface ofthe door 1 on its withdrawalyand'l on the other hand when pushed forwardfor the purpose of actuating the bolt-tail 10, the other side or. edgeof the collar, 9 contacts with the bottom of the the door 1 is fixed theordinary inclosing rim ll within which the external graduated dial 12rotates.

The rim 11 is provided with a sleeve 18 which surrounds the spindle 8and forms a bearingor support for therotatable sleeve 14 of thegraduated dial 12. The knob or handle 15, by which the spindle 8 and thedial 12 are synchronously rotated, is fixed at its outer end by thescrew16 totheendof the spindle 8 and supportedat its inner end by the collar17 formed on the sleeve 14. This collar 17 incidentally forms a closureto the hollow interior of the knob or handle 15.

In order to provide for the longitudinalmovement of the spindle 8 by theknob or handle 15, a feather or key 18 is secured to the interior of theknob as shown, and passes through a slot in the collar 17 This featheror key 18 is provided with notches 19 and 20 tosecure with precision theintermediate positions of the longitudinal travel of: the spindle 8.

Just outside the collar 17. and sleeve 14' is mounted a spring ring 21the ends 22 of which automatically slip into one or the other of thenotches when the knob orhandle'1'5 is pushedin or pulled out, thusindieating to the user by the click so made one or the other of theintermediate positions ofthe spindle. This spring ring is retained inits position by means of the horseshoeshaped. washer 23 that slips intothe groove 24 provided at or near the end of the sleeve 13. The spindle8 may be grooved or weakened as at 25 so that in the event of malusageto the spindle it would break at this point, and it will be obvious thatas only a limited amount of travel can take place in a longitudinaldirection by reason of the collar 9, a certain .portion of the spindlein the event of breakage must necessarily remain within the thickness ofthe door 1.

I About or surrounding the opposite end of the spindle 8 immediatelyadjacent to the block 2 are mounted the combination disks of the lockmechanism, which will be hereinafter more fully described. To the end ofthe spindle 8 is fixed a sleeve or carrier 26 carrying a starwheel 27which by its ro'-- tation when pressed forward comes into engagementwith the pin 28 on the bolt-tail 10. The sleeve or carrier 26 isprovided with a fin or key 29' which engages with pins or projections 30on the interior surface of the rings or bosses 31 that constitutebearings for the combination disks 32, 33 and 34.

It will be observed that the rings or bosses 31 are provided with asmaller diametrical surface on either side of the center portion whichin the aggregate formbearings' 35 that rotate in the fixed plates 36,which plates themselves prevent frictional contact between the disks 32,33 and 34' and between the rings or bosses 31, so that each of the saiddisks can only be operated by the actual contact of its pin 30 with thefin or key 29.

The plates 36 may be conveniently .retained in position by means of thestuds 37 and: prevented from turning by their engagement with thesestuds, the whole being assembled as shown and retained in closeformation by the pillars or projections 38 formed in the: case 4,between the ends of which and the outermost plate 36 may be interposedsprings 38 so as to press the several plates 36 and the rings or bosses31 toward the block 2.

The disks 32, 33 and 34 are mounted on their respective rings or bosses31, and retained in the desired position thereon by reason of the springgrip and frictional contact produced by boring same a trifle small inorder that they may grip the surface 39 of the ring or boss 31. Theinner surface or bore of the disk as also the outer surface 39'of thering 31 may be scalloped or roughened to increase the gripping effect ifand when desired. Each disk is provided with a slot or gate 40 thatfulfils a two-fold function, firstly allowing the stump 41 of the bolt42 to enter when the several slots or gates 40 arebrought into line, andsecondly for the insertion of the change-key 43 through the hole 45 inthe back 46 of the lock-case 4.- This change-key 43 is illustrated inFigs. 8 and 9 in elevation and plan wherein it will be observed that itis reduced in diameter at its end 44, which portion when in use affordssupport for that end of the same by resting in the hole or bearing 47 inthe block 2. The key is provided with a flattened elliptical or ovalvportion 48 that will easily pass into and through the slots or gates 40when placed in the vertical position relative thereto and on beingturned a quarter of a turn by reason of its larger diameter willslightly open or separate the edges of the said slots or gates, wherebytheir spring grip on the rings or bosses 31 is released and the latterare free to be rotated while the disks 32, 33 and 34 are heldstationary.

In order to prevent the movement of the bolt 42 after it has been shotexcept by the action of the star-wheel 27, there is provided aspring-catch 49 (Fig. 7) which is fixed to the back 46 of the case 4,the head 50 of which being L-shaped when the bolt is shot engages with acorrespondingly enlarged portion 51 of a slot 52 provided in thebolttail 10 and so retains the bolt in its locked position. When all isin order for the Withdrawal of the bolt 42, the spindle 8 is pushedinward and the inner diameter or surface of the starwheel 27 comes intocontact with the projecting'extension 53 of the catch and depresses thesame so that the bolt may be withdrawn, the extension 53 remaining 1 inthe slot 52 during the operation. When the bolt 42 is withdrawn andpressure on the knob or handle 15 is relieved, the inside of theL-shaped head bears against the back surface of the bolt-tail 10 andacts as a brake checking its tendency to move by gravity. When the boltis partly or wholly withdrawn the upper part of the guards 54, which aremounted upon and move with the bolt-tail 1 0,- slide in front of thestarwheel 27 and prevent the pulling out of the knob 15 until the bolthas been shot. Guides maintain the true vertical movement of thebolt-tail 10. An extension 58 of the bolt 42 may be provided if requiredfor the purpose of locking the follower that throws or operates the mainsafe bolts. The coverplate 56 makes a neat finish to the application ofthis class of lock to a safe door, and may be secured by screws 57 tothe back 46 of the lock-case 4.

In the lock above described the bolt is shown shooting downward wherebya direct stop to the horizontal strap from the safe bolt or bolts isprovided, but it will be obvious that the locking mechanism may beequally well applied to bolts which are shot in other directions withoutdeparting from the nature of this invention. Similarly the mechanism maybe employed as the sole lock or fastening of a door, the bolt inconnection therewith engaging with the usual fitting applied to the doorframe.

The operation of the lock mechanism above described may be briefly setout as follows :Presuming that a combination of three figures has beenestablished, that the bolt has been shot and it is desired to open thedoor. The knob or handle 15 with the spindle 8 and sleeve or carrier 26is pulled out and a complete clockwise revolution of the graduated dial12 made, thus insuring that the several pins or projections 30 in therings or bosses 31 are in engagement with the fin or key 29. Byacontinued clockwise rotation of the knob or handle 15, rotating allthree disks, the first number is brought to register with the pointer onthe fixed rim 11, which operation puts disk 32 in its correct position.The knob or handle 15 is now pushed 19 whereby a further clockwiserotation of the spindle will operate on disks 33 and 34: and the secondnumber is brought to register with the pointer on the fixed rim 11, thefin or key 29 being during this operation out of engagement with the pin30 in the ring or boss carrying disk 32, consequently that remainsstill. movement is now made to notch 20 which permits of the continuedclockwise rotary (topics of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the in to the notch A further longitudinal motionbeing imparted to disk 34 only because the fin is out of engagement withdisks 32 and 33 and the third figure is brought into register wherebythe several slots or gates 40 are brought into line to receive the stump41 of the bolt 42 when it is raised. The next longitudinal movement ofthe spindle 8 depresses the spring-catch 49 and by the engagement of thestar-wheel 27 with the pin 28 a further clockwise rotary movementwithdraws the bolt.

laims:

1. In a permutation lock in combination, a plurality of rotatablepermutation disks, rings surrounding the operating spindle, said disksbeing resiliently secured to the external surfaces of said rings, platescarried by the lock casing in which said rings are mounted, means forrotating said rings, means on said spindle for limiting the eX- tremeextent of its longitudinal movement, means for defining the intermediatepositions of said longitudinal movements, means for rotating said s1indle, and means mounted on said spindle an engaging with a pin 011 thebolt-tail for the purpose of operating the bolt. 1

2. In a permutation lock in combination, a plurality of rotatablepermutation disks, rings surrounding the operating spindle, disks beingresiliently secured to the external surfaces of said rings, platescarried by the lock casing in which said rings are mounted, means forrotating said rings, means on said spindle for limiting the extremeextent of its longitudinal movement, means for defining the intermediatepositions of said longitudinal movements, means for rotating saidspindle, means mounted on said spindle and engaging with a pin on thebolt-tail for the purpose of operating the bolt, and means for retainingthe bolt in its locked position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this spec1ficat1on ill thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS JOSEPH BUTTER.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

